AWN’s latest survey of under-the-radar animated shorts currently traveling the festival circuit or new to online viewing.
In this month's Binocular Briefs, we look at a trio of new Cypriot films along with a brief and potent critique of a romance gone wrong, and we’ve got the trailer for the brand new film by animation master, Phil Mulloy
Cyprus x 3
Poppy Flowers, Evridiki Papaiakovou
The Tornado Outside, Maria Tomazou
Violence and Fire, Angelos Charalambous
I’ve visited the Animafest Cyprus festival four times since 2014, and it’s been quite amazing to watch the growth of the animation community during this time. Here are three new works that reveal a diversity of styles and voices.
Poppy Flowers is a graduate film created at the Estonian Academy of Arts. Brimming with rich symbolism, the film offers a complex portrait of a daughter striving to reconcile with her mother through memories of their shared rituals and distinctive views on religion and divine figures. At its core, the story is about a woman navigating her relationship with her mother while etching out her own identity and beliefs. The film's use of etching technique adds another layer of depth, illustrating the mind’s struggle to both preserve and reframe memories. The result is a visually captivating and emotionally resonant journey of self-discovery.
Says Papaiakovou, “I find the analogue film very unique as a medium. I have based my research on it but in short, the film by default has the function of memorabilia when exposed. However, its function shifts when vague or distorted memories are intentionally embedded (scratched) into its surface, transforming it into a tool for remembering and reflection. I wanted the film to feel tangible and rich in texture. This style reminded me of the wood engravings in orthodox churches, so it felt right.”
Maria Tomazou’s The Tornado Outside is another graduate film from a Cypriot artist, this one made at the National Film and Television School in England.
Anna leads a meticulously organized and serene life within the confines of her home. However, this peaceful existence is precariously perched on the edge of a literal and metaphorical tornado. One day, Anna is forced to step out and confront the swirling chaos that surrounds her.
This stop-motion piece delves into a theme that's increasingly common in short animation: confronting your fears. Anna seems to be the type who thinks she can hide from the world, retreating to a small safe space where everything will be ok. But it rarely works that way. The chaos of the world is always right outside your door. It’s up to you to adjust and adapt and not let the crap destroy you. By letting go a little and embracing the beautiful kaleidoscope of people and experiences around you, you might even find some happiness along the way.
The music video, Violence and Fire by Angelos Charalambous, created for the Cyprus punk band Pou Tountous Toutous, is a raw and frenetic punk collage that employs a range of religious imagery to harshly critique the church's vulgarities, hypocrisies, and historical violence. Through its intense and chaotic visuals, it delivers a scathing commentary on the dark legacy of organized religion.
Says Charalambous, “I always thought that collage animation is very creative as a medium, and since the theme of the film is ‘the revenge of the witch,’ I found the idea of recreating these historical events with the already existing material quite intriguing.”
Will You Come with Me?, Derya Durmaz, Germany
In this gut-wrenching minimalist animated short, a woman recounts with dry, haunting precision the unraveling of a relationship that spirals from intimacy to abandonment, culminating in the looming prospect of abortion. The narrative starkly exposes the harsh reality that men can often shirk responsibility, leaving women to grapple with the profound emotional and physical consequences alone. This brief yet potent work serves as a visceral reminder that the so-called "dark days" of women's oppression are far from over, and it underscores the undeniable truth that decisions about a woman’s body should rest solely in her own hands.
Once upon a Time on the Earth, Phil Mulloy, UK
In a post-apocalyptic suburb of London, a man prepares for a perilous journey by pumping air into his bike tires before inflating his son’s cherished green balloon. Together with his wife, they embark on a harrowing trek across a bleak, ravaged landscape, encountering drones, alligators, torrential downpours, and floods. When tragedy strikes, the son is forced to continue alone, facing an equally uncertain future.
While the film retains Mulloy’s signature minimalist design and biting social commentary, the usual sardonic humor is notably absent - and for good reason. The state of the world offers little to chuckle about. Echoing Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, Once Upon a Time on Earth is a devastating, poignant, yet cautiously hopeful speculation on the future that awaits us if we don’t get our shit together.
*** Editor's Note: there are some region issues being sorted out, so if the video below isn't showing, try this link.
A well-known figure in the world of independent animation, writer, author & curator Chris Robinson is the Artistic Director of the Ottawa International Animation Festival.
